Little Sister
by Midnight Crow
Summary: Shiori has a crush on her brother's teammate, but can't work up the courage to say anything. Why should she? After all, she's just Maki's little sister.
1. Chapter One

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Little Sister

Author: Shirodachi

Series: Slam Dunk

Genre: Romance

Rating: PG

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A/N: Revised. You might want to read again… ^^;

Feedback: Very much appreciated, can range from constructive criticism to just plain "Nice!" ^^; Although I would like to know what parts you really liked. Flames, or any other kind of criticism are only taken into consideration if the flamer signs in/is not an anonymous reviewer.

CHAPTER 1

//I wonder what time will Oniichan be coming home.//

The sharp, measured clapping cut through the sighs of fatigue and echoed on the walls of Kainan High's vast gym. "Alright, you heard Coach. Practice tomorrow at 4. Be early or you won't be tasting Inter High."

Shin'ichi Maki's clear voice rang out, which was unusually loud enough to be heard despite hours of grueling practice. Surrounding him were the other, exhausted members of the basketball team, Kainan being one of those representing Kanagawa that year. That day's training session was none like others they had, well, Maki thought, for most of the freshmen. He already knew from experience, having spent three years in the club, and was prepared for the worst.

//We've done so much…I hope they get through this.// Grabbing a fistful of his damp jersey, he wiped his face with it. His teammates shuffled to the men's locker room, talking in low voices amongst themselves.

"Aren't you getting up from there, Kiyota-kun?"

His head whipped around to where Kainan's famous shooting guard, Soichiro Jin, stood looking down amusedly at the prostrated form of Nobunaga Kiyota, a.k.a. "wild monkey". Although Kiyota didn't seem particularly wild that moment. //More like half-dead monkey.// Maki muttered to himself. Three long strides and he was beside Jin, staring at the figure gasping for breath, eyes closed, perspiration running everywhere.

"Hard day, Kiyota? Or has your stamina deteriorated lately and you can't keep up anymore?"

The rookie's eyes flew open, flashing angrily. "Of course not, Maki-san!" he hissed. "I was just thinking how nice it would be to lie on the floor for a while. So cool and refreshing."

Maki raised his eyebrows, irked. He didn't need Kiyota's biting sarcasm just now. "Is that so? Then you can stay there and we'll leave you." He was just testing the freshman.

"We seem to be pretty tense today." Jin remarked neutrally, scratching the back of his head.

"Ehhh…he started it." Kiyota hissed again, a bit more subdued this time.

The Kainan captain stopped in his tracks, and sighed inwardly. He was being a bit snippy. The overwhelming pressure from the coming competition, he concluded, must have had a hand in this. He faced the two once more, both hands held up. "Okay, I admit that wasn't the best pep talk I could give. I forgot you freshmen don't know how hard Coach Riki's Inter High sessions are."

Jin had pulled Kiyota to a sitting position. The latter glared at Maki, then grumbled. "You never told us, of course. What do you expect?"

Maki laughed, making the rookie's glare grow icier. "Alright, don't make me feel guiltier. How does a treat from me sound? That better?"

At the mention of the word 'treat', Kiyota's eyes lighted up. "Yatta!" He grabbed Jin's extended arm and hoisted himself up. "Let's hit the pizza joint then have a round on those pachinkos!" he exclaimed.

"Ouch." Jin squirmed, rubbing his arm. "Pachinko? But we're not allowed to go in there, Kiyota-kun. Except for Maki-san, that is. We're underage."

"Underage! What the-"

"Yes, and besides, I don't have enough money for the three of us." Maki interjected.

Kiyota's eyes went as wide as saucers. "Nandatou!? You mean you lied?"

The ends of Jin's mouth twitched. "Technically, no, he didn't." Obviously he knew what the captain was up to.

"But he said he didn't have money!" By then Kiyota was making strangled noises.

"I'm treating you two to dinner at my house. My mother would have cooked something by this time. If not, I'll cook." Maki answered smugly.

"That'd be nice, Maki-san."

The two walked away, leaving Kiyota standing alone dumbfounded. Seconds passed.

"Matte! Don't leave me here!"

***

She certainly didn't expect visitors that night, specifically good-looking ones, not to mention friends of her brother. After being cooped up in her room doing homework, Maki Shiori heard sounds from the kitchen. //Oniichan's back!// she thought happily as she hopped downstairs, two steps at a time. She skidded to a stop in front of the doorway. "Oniichan! Okaeri!"

Two sets of unfamiliar eyes blinked back at her from the small dining table, and there was NO sign of her brother. Shiori's mouth dropped open, and her face gradually turned to a scarlet red. Stammering an apology, she thought dazedly if she had arrived at the wrong house. She took a step backward, out of the room.

Just then, her brother's familiar face appeared from the next room. "Shiori-chan?" Her shocked brown eyes flickered towards him, her mouth still open in aghast. Maki stepped out and smiled briefly. "Come here and help me with the cooking."

She automatically obeyed her brother's words, despite her inner self screaming to get away. Strangers. At her house. //Why didn't Oniichan warn me he was bringing friends over?// And now she had to help him entertain them. //Why did Okaasan have to leave for a business trip this certain week?// If she stayed, Shiori wouldn't have to be facing this very awkward situation.

None of Maki's friends had spoken up. Tentatively, she took a step forward, then another, then another, keeping her head down but at the same time never taking her eyes off the strangers. The short-haired one had his back to her by now, so she didn't know what he could be thinking or doing.

But the one with the wild, longish hair – he was staring back at her with complete bewilderment. Shiori flushed even more and dashed to safety, into the kitchen where her brother was.

//That guy looks familiar!//

"Oniichan!" she wailed, not too loud however. She most certainly didn't want them overhearing her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"That you were bringing people over!"

Maki poked his head back into the pantry. "I don't see what's so bad about that. They're from the basketball team." He took various canisters out and closed the door with a foot. "It's not like they're going to eat you."

"I know that!" she answered, throwing her arms up in exasperation. "But couldn't I just…just…" she bit her lower lip, "stay in my room?"

He stared in disbelief at his small, blushing younger sister. She barely came up to his chest, and her constant shyness made her appear even smaller. He deposited the ingredients on the counter. "You need to get out and meet more people, Shiori-chan."

In the presence of strangers Shiori wouldn't say a word unless someone pointed a gun at her, but with people she knew well, she could easily raise her voice. "Not in the house!"

"It's like someone intruding on our private lives, huh? That bad?" He reached out and ruffled her reddish-brown hair affectionately. Shiori nodded, relieved that her brother finally understood.

"Oi Maki-san, sorry to interrupt, but why is dinner taking so long?" An obnoxious voice floated from outside. She froze. Maki released his hold.

"Whoops, gotta finish my cooking." He returned to the boiling pot. "Go set the table for me, Shiori."

She felt like a ton of bricks fell on her. "WHAT!?"

"Have you eaten?" he asked as if he didn't hear her.

Shiori was about to answer no when he continued, "If you haven't you might as well join us." To this she uttered at once, "N-no, I've already eaten!" In truth she had been waiting for him to come home because he could cook much better than her.

"Set the table for three then."

"Oniichan!" she wailed desperately. //You are so mean!//

***

"So, I thought it best that you study some of the best moves, like Rukawa-san's."

Kiyota wasn't listening to a word Jin had said. He was busy eyeing the strange girl who had graced them with her presence a while ago. The one who kept her eyes down and whose cheeks were always tinted pink. Right now she was placing a plate in front of his companion.

"Hello," Jin suddenly greeted her. Kiyota noticed her flinch. His eyebrows knitted together. "Are you Maki's sister?"

She opened her mouth to answer but closed it, and instead nodded a bit fervently. Her cheeks went redder.

"I'm Soichiro Jin, one of your brother's friends." He gave her a warm, welcoming, typical 'I'm-a-nice-guy' smile.

She wasn't looking at the smile but at the floor. "Shi-shiori."

"Nice to meet you, Shiori-san."

"I never knew Maki had a little sister." Kiyota found himself blurting out. He followed her with a scrutinizing gaze as she walked towards his place, holding his plate.

Jin let out a melodious laugh. "Well, now you know. So, Shiori-san…" She halted mid-step. "Is your brother any good in cooking?"

Kiyota snorted. "If I wasn't _that_ hungry I wouldn't be here right how." 

The girl's hand, the one that just set his plate, trembled a little. Baffled, he glanced up to her small face, which in his utmost surprise looked very different from the meek girl that had been serving them.

"My brother," she began, breathing heavily. Kiyota craned his neck to listen earnestly. He wanted to hear what kind of voice she had.

"Dinner's ready!" Maki's voice boomed, cutting her off. Kiyota blinked. The meek girl was back, and she scurried off to the kitchen.

"Nice girl, isn't she?" Jin observed casually.

"Nice? Weird is more like it." Kiyota replied, eyebrows still knitted in consternation.

All of a sudden, the lights went out.

"Wha-what's going on!?" Kiyota demanded, worry in his voice.

The lights went back on, but this time they were the smaller, dimmer yellow lights. Maki, donning an apron, appeared holding a tray.

"Pesto Chicken, a Shin'ichi Maki house specialty!" he proudly announced, setting the dish down on the table.

"It's about time!" Kiyota sat up in his chair excitedly. He gazed in awe at the newly served food. Then his face twisted into a frown. "Why does it have those green specks?"

Jin laughed, and the rookie raised an eyebrow at him. Jin was always laughing. Kiyota rolled his eyes. He was so not in the mood to be annoyed; and besides he had no basis either.

"That's the pesto, baka." Maki plopped down on the seat at the head of the table; Kiyota on his left, Jin on the right.

"Itadakimasu!" Kiyota yelled gleefully, and started attacking the chicken.

"You sure you don't want to join us, Shiori-chan?" Maki called. "Okay."

"What was that?" Kiyota looked at him mid-chew.

"She said she's going to wash the dishes."

"You actually heard her!?"

"I live in the same house. Of course I'd get used to her voice."

Silence befell them. Kiyota chewed on a particularly juicy piece, while Jin hummed a popular song as he cut his food into smaller, bite-size parts. //What a weird girl…// the rookie mused. She wasn't extremely pretty. In fact, she was very ordinary – brown hair and eyes. Why was he 'checking' her out, anyway, if that was the case. Judging from her looks, she was probably in junior high. But somehow, her extraordinary shyness (and soft voice!) sparked his interest.

"Is she really that…you know, quiet?" He finally asked, after swallowing the piece.

Maki shrugged. "She's always been like that ever since she became my sister." A grin formed on his tanned face. "Oh, it must be because we went to the zoo when she was very young and the animals scared the wits out of her." He chuckled. "Just kidding, Shiori-chan."

"Oh. Your little sister right." Kiyota put another bite in his mouth. "Is she going to Kainan High when she graduates?"

Now the captain gave him a flat, unfriendly stare. //What…what did I do?//

"Stop joking, Kiyota. She's studying at Kainan already."

He almost choked on his food. "You mean she's in SENIOR High?"

"Kiyota-kun," Jin murmured placidly. "I think Shiori-san is in the same year as you."

"NANI?" His head shot up to look past the shooting guard, where the kitchen was. The sink, and the girl, was partly hidden by the wall. "But," spluttered Kiyota, "but she's so small-OW!"

Maki had kicked him in the shin.

"Itai!" But he recovered, and turned his attention to his plate.

Maki dumped a fairly large piece on the plate the rookie was glowering at. "Enjoy your chicken." 

***

The conversation transferred to basketball, yet Shiori's hands continued to shake. She tightened her hold on a cup, to prevent any accidents. //Stop talking like I'm not here…//

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But she's so small! The voice echoed in her mind. How many times had she heard that remark? A mirror hung on one side of the kitchen. She stared at her reflection. A thin, pale face, framed by straight brown hair past the shoulders. Big but sad eyes stared back. //I look like a frightened rat.// she thought bitterly. Looking away in disgust, she closed the faucet and wiped her hands on a towel. When she turned around, someone was blocking the doorway.

The guy with the long hair peered at her. He was holding the dishes they had used. The sound of his brother's voice came from the next room; he was clearing the table with the other one. 

Shiori's heart was pounding. //Why didn't I hear him come in?// Her apprehensive gaze traveled from his worn sneakers to his jeans and plain yellow shirt. She couldn't force herself to look any higher.

"You do look kinda like the captain." He finally broke the silence, which felt like years to the girl. Tongue-tied, she just watched him as he deposited the dishes near the sink.

Then he faced her. He frowned, opened his mouth, but closed it at once, apparently deciding against his original thought. She kept her eyes down. He stuck his hands in his pockets.

"The name's Nobunaga Kiyota, by the way."

She looked up slightly, but didn't answer. "I guess I'll be seeing you then." He took a deep breath and walked away. "G'night, imouto-san."

The scuffing of his sneakers grew fainter.

//Imouto-san?//

***

Japanese terms:

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Oniichan – brother

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Yatta! – "Yeah!", "All right!"

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pachinko – slot machine, pinball

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Nandatou?! – "What the hell!?"

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Okaeri! – short for "Okaeri nasai", which means "Welcome home!"

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Okaasan – mother

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Nani! – "What!?"

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Itai! – "That hurts!"

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Imouto-san – Polite name to call the younger sister of someone else


	2. Chapter Two

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Little Sister

Author: Shirodachi

E-mail: remuslupin@owlmail.com

---

A/N: Revised. You might want to read again… ^^;

Feedback: Very much appreciated, can range from constructive criticism to just plain "Nice!" ^^; Although I would like to know what parts you really liked. Flames, or any other kind of criticism are only taken into consideration if the flamer signs in/is not an anonymous reviewer.

CHAPTER 2

Nobody noticed, but Shiori was absolutely furious when she set foot on Kainan High the next day. Earlier that morning, after a quick breakfast of blueberry pancakes (a Shin'ichi Maki special), her brother stopped her just as she was putting on her shoes.

"Shiori-chan, take this with you." A notebook found its way onto her hands. //What's this…// She idly glanced at the first leaf.

The name _Nobunaga Kiyota_ almost leaped out at her.

"Oniichan!" she gasped. "What do I do with this!"

"The baka forgot it last night when he begged us to tutor him. He's in your year, so you can return it to him."

"But I don't know him that well!"

"You met him last night." He reached for the syrup and almost spilled his glass of juice. "Damn."

Her eyes narrowed and she marched towards him, dropping the item on his lap. "Why don't you return it? You practice basketball with him everyday, anyway!"

Maki sighed and rose from his chair. He firmly placed his hands on his sister's shoulders, making her look at him straight in the eye. "Shiori-chan, listen to me." he began in a low voice. "There is a great evil in this world today…"

She was walking away, leaving her brother standing alone in the kitchen.

"Oi, I was just joking! Come back here!"

"You don't have to come up with some lame opening line." Maki reassured her when she agreed to listen to him again. "Just tell Kiyota he forgot his notebook here. Or you don't even have to talk. Just go up to him, tap his shoulder, and hand it over."

Shiori looked on helplessly.

"Wouldn't you feel bad if someone found your things but didn't return it? And to answer your question, he's going to need the notebook at school. I can't return it after."

Shiori groaned and let her head drop.

"So you see, Shiori, you're his only hope…"

"Eh, stop it Oniichan!" She pushed him away. "I'll return the stupid notebook!" As she swiped the notebook from him and stuffed it in her bag, she didn't see the slow grin full of mischief light her brother's face.

She glared at him; his face was stoic.

"Take care, Shiori-chan." Maki waved a bit too cheerfully for her tastes.

She shifted her bag and threw him another glare. "Why aren't you coming to school with me anyway?"

"I don't have classes yet. You're free to walk with me on the way home, if you miss me that much."

"Not a chance." She stalked off, leaving the gate open.

Maki whistled. His sister, for all her extreme shyness, also hid an extremely short fuse. Brown eyes followed as she trudged along the sidewalk, as if a much too heavy task had been placed upon her. She disappeared on the next block. He closed the gate. Humming a lively tune, the brother went back into the house to finish his last pancake.

***

Class hadn't started yet. As soon as Shiori walked in, she became invisible. No one noticed her; no one sent friendly words or greetings. The people inside continued their gossip and chatter. She dropped her things on a seat near the front of the room.

No one saw her take out the thin blue notebook. Very carefully, she traced the cover and fingered the spine. //He must take very good care of his things,// she thought. //Or maybe he just doesn't use this.//

She flipped open the cover. To her surprise mixed with relief, there were writings on the pages. Two or three doodles. She could forgive that. She even smiled at a particularly nice rendition of a Math teacher.

What she couldn't forgive was the chicken scratches for handwriting. And the quality of notes! Shiori was outraged. He didn't outline lectures! Mechanically she took a different-colored pen from her bag, and uncapped it. Soon she was busy scribbling corrections and additional notes to each page.

Howling laughter arose from somewhere behind her. She stiffened. //How inconsiderate…// Other voices followed. She glanced over her shoulder, scanning for the source of the noise. Not very far from her a group of boys crowded around one desk. The culprit was sitting on it, head thrown back in convulsing laughter.

She dropped the pen. //It's him!// Though it wasn't the same him from last night. His messy black hair was tamed and kept neat in a ponytail. No wonder she didn't recognize him in their encounter at once. She didn't even know he was a classmate. Shiori suddenly wondered why her heart was beating twice as fast.

//I can't give it to him right now…// Not while there was a wall of unknown people encircling him. Maybe he would forget about the notebook. Maybe he didn't need it, she hoped.

"Ne, Kiyota-kun, you finished homework?"

The rookie stopped laughing. "No, as a matter-of-fact, I lost mine. I think I forgot it at Maki-san's house." She heard his voice explain, tinged with regret.

Shiori's head fell on the desk in defeat. After such a statement, she definitely had to give him the notebook! Pulling herself together, she turned around to call him softly.

"Kiyota-kun." That wasn't her voice.

"Kiyota-kun," the low, subtle female voice repeated, "how are we doing today?"

Nayoko and her group of girls had stopped by Kiyota's desk.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks for asking Nayoko-san!" A flustered Kiyota assured the girls, who all beamed at him. //Was he blushing?// Of course, he had the right to. Nayoko was tall, almost as tall as the rookie. Her long, silky black hair turned heads everywhere, and her cat-shaped eyes alluring. She had always admired Nayoko – her looks, her poise, her brimming confidence.

So why was she breathing heavily? And did she clench her fist just now?

The next thing she knew, Kiyota was looking at her. He squinted in her direction: once, twice. Quickly, before her face flushed completely, she hid herself between a book.

//What's happening to me?//

She then felt the presence of other people beside her. To her distress, Nayoko and her bunch also stopped by her desk. "Shiori-chan," the tall girl cooed.

"What do you want?" Shiori asked a bit too hastily. "I mean, can I help you?" Her arm pushed the blue notebook away from their line of sight.

Nayoko's eyes went wide, obviously taken aback by the usually quiet girl's fast response. But she recovered her dazzling model-like smile. "Shiori-chan, please give my regards to Maki-san. I wish for him to win all their games." The others squealed in delight.

"Here." One of the lackeys passed a sealed envelope to Shiori. The small girl just sat ther with her mouth open.

//Are they for real?// she wondered, incredulous.

Fortunately the teacher appeared afterwards and rapped on his desk.

She stared at the letter, at the notebook, at the beautiful Nayoko, and lastly at Kiyota who sat two seats behind her and one to the right. She sighed. This was going to be one long class.

***

"Your homework is pages 47 to 50 of the text, to be passed on Friday next week. Dismissed."

The whole class groaned in unison, and chairs squeaked as the students occupying them stood up. While everyone was filing out of the room, Shiori furiously scribbled a reminder for the homework on a piece of paper. Her eyes fell on the notebook on her desk. 

//Oh no! I forgot about this!// She whirled around to Kiyota's seat. He wasn't there. She searched the room frantically for his semblance. He was chatting with two friends at the doorway. Shiori jumped out of her seat, cramming her bag as fast as she could.

With her size, Shiori certainly couldn't keep up by walking. She thought of a million words to describe boys' longer strides, and none were pleasant. She quickened her pace. Breathlessly she called, "Sumimasen…!" His loud voice, she realized, swamped hers. The distance between them and her grew. Clutching her things, she sprinted. "Kiyota-"

He turned around.

Her foot landed wrongly. She tripped.

"Oi, careful!"

She didn't hit the floor, thank God. The impact made her glasses slip off the bridge of her nose. But even without them, she could recognize the face of the one who caught her, and was only inches away from hers.

"Imouto-san?"

Her eyes widened. She felt her face grow hot.

Kiyota's face broke into a grin. "It is you!" He pulled her up, and she followed weakly. "I didn't know you wore glasses. I wasn't sure if it was you earlier in class."

He was a good head taller than her, she noticed. She swallowed. Her cheeks still hadn't returned to their normal color.

"So why were you following me?" he asked innocently.

//Good grief, people must think I'm stalking him!// She looked around and saw people. Many people. Shiori didn't need her non-existent high school reputation to be tainted. _Little Shiori-chan is growing up! She's actually stalking basketball players who think she's too small to be in senior high!_

The notebook was already in her arms. "H-here!" She stammered and shoved it to him.

"Hey, it's my notebook!" Kiyota exclaimed as she walked away.

"Kiyota-kun, who's the girl?" One of Kiyota's friends asked.

"Hm? That's Imouto-san."

Shiori cringed.

"Say what?"

"Maki-san's younger sister."

"Hontou? I didn't know Maki-san had a sister." 

The others murmured in agreement. "So what's her name?"

She paused and strained to hear.

"Eh? Satomi-chan I think."

Her heart plummeted. She walked faster.

"Satomi-chan, matte!" their voices called. She pretended not to hear.

Someone burst out, "Baka Kiyota, that's not it. I think it starts with 'Shi-'."

"Shizuka-chan? Shinobu-chan?"

Her legs just kept on walking. Somehow she had to get out of there, fast.

"Shinobu-chan, Shinobu-chan!" they called again.

She blinked back the tears as she broke into a run. "Shiori," she whispered hoarsely, "it's Shiori."

***

The ball flew gracefully in the air, before it crashed on the hoop's rim.

"Rebound!" Someone hollered. Kazuma Takasago, Number 5, leaped and caught the ball.

"Aw, shit." Kiyota cursed through gritted teeth. He turned and ran after Mutoh, to whom Takasago had passed the ball.

He was in a bad mood. He knew he had done something wrong that day. A pop quiz, losing the last pudding to an egoistic sophomore, and getting his favorite purple headband dirty. Luck had turned against him. The only thing good that happened was he was able to recover his notebook and pass his homework.

Maki appeared near him and passed the ball. Kiyota made a fast break for their hoop. The sound of the ball dribbling erased his thoughts for a while. The goal was near. He made a lay-up.

But suddenly Jin was there, swatting the ball out of his hand.

"What the-" It bounced out of the court.

A million different curse words passed through Kiyota's head. He wiped his arm across his face and put on a scowl. He was angry, mostly at himself. Super rookie Kiyota couldn't make a simple lay-up.

A hand clapped him on the back. It was the captain. Kiyota cursed silently and expected something sharp such as "Out of touch." But instead Maki asked quietly – "Something on your mind?"

He suddenly remembered how he got his notebook back. Maki's little sister returned it after first period. He nodded, not trusting his mouth to say anything non-sarcastic. Maki acknowledged it.

"Say sempai…" Kiyota started as they were running side by side. "Your sister gave me my notebook back."

"Oh, she did?"

Kiyota raised an eyebrow but decided to continue. "What was her name again?"

"She didn't snap at you for forgetting it? She only does it to me anyway." Maki stole the ball from another player and positioned to shoot. "Shiori. Her name's Shiori."

"Crap." Kiyota covered his face with a hand, realizing his mistake. Memories of the event at the hall flooded him. What an imbecile he was, letting his friends call her other names. "Look sempai, I think I might have upset her a while ago. Do you know where she is right now?"

Maki's eyes glinted. "Run that by me again. You what?"

"I didn't mean to!" He replied hastily. "Anyway, I'm ready to apologize."

"She's not here anymore." The captain's answer jarred him. "She goes home early."

"Ack! There goes my apology…"

Maki's glare was even icier this time. "Ahaha, of course, I am going to do it tomorrow…" He suddenly remembered: tomorrow was Saturday. He knocked on his head with a fist. "Oh…I guess I have to wait for Monday then." They ran around the court a few more times. 

"Anou, Maki-san…" Kiyota called once more. "You never told us about Shiori. I've never seen her during a game too. And that's why I didn't know she was in my class."

"She's not interested in basketball." Maki's voice had a 'end-of-story' edge to it.

This was getting unnatural. The Number One Fan slot of the ace of Kainan's basketball team wasn't held by his own sister. Kiyota decided to go deeper. "Why not?"

"Beats me."

Kiyota fell over. "You're the older brother!" He insisted.

Jin appeared out of nowhere to guard the rookie. "Does Shiori-san concern you that much, Kiyota-kun?"

"NANI? I'm not--!" Kiyota hissed.

Maki also felt an opportunity to bother him with inane questions. "Why are you so interested in my sister?" He asked quite bluntly.

"Eh? Stop being so crazy!" Kiyota waved his hands wildly. "I just made a mistake and…want to say sorry, that's all!" He was heaving now. Jin and Maki glanced at each other. Then they shrugged.

"Now what are you two thinking!?" He looked away. There was a short silence. "I just think…" Kiyota felt uncomfortable saying it, but he needed to clear his mind. "It's just…_strange_ that someone could be that quiet. Almost invisible. My point is…you don't mind if I want to know why she's not interested in watching you play, Maki-san?"

Jin's eyebrows raised.

Maki said nothing. But to Kiyota's surprise, he passed the ball to the rookie.

"Good luck then." The captain nodded.

Kiyota set his teeth and drove in, eluding Jin and heading straight towards the goal.

//I'm going to show these guys just what I mean.//

He scored! The ball bounced and someone, a teammate, caught it. Kiyota didn't care, however. He knew he was on the right track.

***

Japanese terms:

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Sumimasen – ranges from "Thank you" to "Sorry" to "Excuse me".

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Hontou? – "True?"

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Baka – idiot


	3. Chapter Three

****

Little Sister

Author: Shirodachi

E-mail: remuslupin@owlmail.com

---

A/N: Revised. Please read again. Sorry for the very long delay. I had to fix plot holes and stuff.

Feedback: Very much appreciated, can range from constructive criticism to just plain "Nice!" ^^; Although I would like to know what parts you really liked. Flames, or any other kind of criticism are only taken into consideration if the flamer signs in/is not an anonymous reviewer.

CHAPTER 3

Hikaru Kiyota, fourth eldest in her family, had the task of setting the table before dinner. Tonight, however, something was in her way. A scowl formed on the seventeen-year-old's usually cheerful face. 

Her brother's school things were scattered on the table, spilling out of his open schoolbag.

"Grrr…that baka! Never puts his things away! Never learns! He makes me so angry! Grrr!" She fumed, throwing them all into the bag, her voice increasing in volume.

With a fist, she pounded on the table, unable to control her anger. Something fell. She gnashed her teeth and bent down to pick the item up, which was a notebook. //I swear…that boy needs a keeper!//

Her eyes caught the piece of paper conspicuously sticking out from the pages.

"What's this?" Hikaru said to herself. She took it out and skimmed it. Her blue eyes rounded.

Yukime, the more serious twin, stepped into the kitchen, arms crossed. "Do you always squeal and dance around the room after you've finished your chores?" She glanced at the dinner table. "I see you haven't finished it yet." Her voice was cold as ice.

Hikaru wasn't fazed a bit, and her face lighted up even. "Yuki!" She waved the paper around. "Lookie, look at this!"

"I will if you'd give it to me…"

"I found that in Nobu-chan's notebook!" She giggled once more. "And I was just thinking he needed a keeper…but he already has one!"

"What - are - you - talking - about." Yukime deftly snatched the paper from her vagrant twin. "Homework, due next Friday, page 47 to 50." She read aloud, and gave Hikaru a superior look. "What are you fussing about? And stop squealing, will you!"

"C'mon Yuki," whimpered Hikaru, "you're much better than that! You're smarter than me! Surely _you_ can figure that out."

Her twin said the magic words. Yukime hated _un_-figuring things out, especially if Hikaru already knew. As much as she loved Hikaru in her own sisterly way, she _was_ a bit shallow of sorts. Yukime in all things wasn't. "Ah, whatever." She studied the scrap of paper intently. Her eyebrows raised.

"This isn't Nobunaga's handwriting."

Hikaru squealed and clapped. "I knew you'd get it! And it's written _by a girl_!" She grabbed the notebook and started flipping the pages. "Ooh! There's more here! All in the same handwriting!" There were hearts in Hikaru's eyes. 

"Let me see…as the two are side by side now, I can certainly tell the difference. And it does look like a girl's handwriting." Yukime smirked. "At least our brother picked out a smart girl, judging from these notes. I commend him for that."

Then the said brother entered. Upon finding his sisters shoulder-to-shoulder, obviously conspiring about something (Hikaru was giggling occasionally), his face became a thundercloud.

Shaking his fist, he yelled, "Oi you two! Keep it down, I'm trying to watch TV-ooh!" His breath got knocked out of his lungs as one of the twins rammed him, all arms.

"Nobu-chan!" wailed Hikaru, shaking him. "Don't grow up so fast!"

"What the--ONEESAN!" Kiyota struggled. "Stop squeezing me--ow!"

The other twin, Yukime, stepped into his field of vision. She shook her head, but a smug look was plastered on her face. "I guess you don't need to waste more of my valuable time, eh, Nobunaga?" She passed the notebook over to his free hand. "Thank the girl for me."

"Yuki-neesan, not you too!" Eyes watering, he finally struggled out of Hikaru's very tight grasp. //What the hell is going on?// At last he was free and able to open the notebook.

The first thing he noticed was the caricature of his Math teacher who suffered from mental lapses every now and then. An arrow was pointing to it, with a message in neat handwriting: _Very nice, you captured him perfectly._

He turned to the next page, then the other pages. Almost all had scribbles and comments.

"Yuki-neesan? Did you-"

"No, it wasn't us. Oh, this was inserted there as well. I guess she doesn't want you to forget homework." Yukime noticed her bawling sister, and narrowed her eyes. "Stop that right now, Hikaru!"

"I can't…" Hikaru blew her nose. "Nobu-chan's leaving us…"

A sound of disgust escaped from Yukime, and she pulled her twin out of the kitchen by the collar. Hikaru called out as she was dragged away, "You'll do the chores for me, won't you, Nobu-chan? Good boy…growing up so fast…"

Kiyota didn't hear his sister's last words though. //Who did this?// The piece of paper just answered his question.

He was surprised he could clearly remember Shiori Maki's face.

And the fact that he still owed her an apology.

***

"Ohayou, Imouto-san!"

Shiori froze, looked around panic-stricken, before scurrying to her seat.

She didn't pass in his direction. Kiyota was disappointed. He just hoped she wasn't _traumatized_ from last week's events. He rose from his seat, just as the teacher sauntered in. He was forced to sit down again.

//Well, no matter, she sits in the same place everyday.//

***

The next day, he waited in a seat at the front row.

//Any minute now…// He tapped a pencil on the desk and made frequent glances at the door. Sure enough, the younger Maki entered, head down as usual. Kiyota decided he shouldn't startle her like yesterday, and was contented to watch her until she reached her seat.

It didn't go as he expected. She was two desks away from him. He cursed his forgetfulness and made his way to the seat beside her.

"A-hem." He heard the distinct sound of someone clearing his throat.

"Nobunaga Kiyota, return to your proper seat this instant."

The teacher! The whole class blinked at Kiyota, with the exception of a few others, which included Shiori. He rolled his eyes and waved to his fellow students while he returned to his original seat. The air filled with laughter.

//You'll get an especially nice drawing today, Sensei.// A smirk formed on his face as he plotted the caricature in his mind. As he started to draw, pen moving rapidly on a blank page, he caught himself wondering if Shiori would like the particular piece.

***

//Think, Nobunaga, think.// Where would someone like Shiori spend lunchtime?

She wasn't in the cafeteria. Kiyota always ate lunch there, and today he had to abandon his crew, saying that he had 'stuff' to do. They immediately assumed it had something to do with basketball.

//In any case, it is kinda connected with basketball// he convinced himself. He could have said "I have to look for Maki." They wouldn't know _which_, anyway.

Still, he checked out every brown-haired girl under 165 centimeters in the cafeteria before he left. On his way out, most of them were giving him strange looks, which Kiyota hoped weren't _hopeful_.

//Why would anyone _not_ eat lunch in the cafeteria,// he pondered. He had to admit it could get a bit crowded. Shiori didn't look like the type who enjoyed crowds. But now he was having a hard time tracking her down. He ran outside, to the outskirts of the school building.

//Maybe she has a boyfriend.// The thought popped in his mind unexpectedly. Maybe they ate together in a secluded place, like…near the soccer field. Maybe her boyfriend was a soccer player - the reason why she wasn't interested in basketball!

But again, Shiori didn't look like the type who followed soccer. He was positive she would me more at home with…basketball. Naturally, the main reason was she was the captain's sister, nothing else.

If she did have a boyfriend, however, and they were eating together right now, he would be terribly sorry he had to ruin their special moment. But the apology was important. And of course, the note about the homework. And perhaps a small token of gratitude for returning the notebook, despite the weird additional scribbles on the pages.

Exhaustion took over, and Kiyota was forced to stop and lean on a tree. He had already circled the whole damned building. //People must think I'm shifting to the track club...// He took deep breaths to steady himself. //Now where should I look?//

He scanned his surroundings. No luck, and no sign of Shiori.

//Maybe tomorrow my luck wouldn't be this bad…// He was about to go back into the building when a lone, brown-haired figure sitting on a bench about five trees away caught his eye.

***

Shiori unwrapped the sandwich, bit into it, and almost choked it out. Someone was running towards _her_. She swallowed. //Is that…who I think it is?//

The bench was one of the sheltered places on the school grounds. It was a nice, quiet place, definitely a contrast to the noisy and packed school cafeteria. The downside was, she had to prepare her own lunch everyday. //It saves my allowance, at least.//

Whoever it was (and Shiori had a feeling who), he was really approaching the bench. She could just stare as the tall dark-haired boy leaned forward, dropping his hands to his knees. "Finally! I've been looking all over for you!" an out-of-breath Kiyota exclaimed.

The words seemed unreal. //Looking…for me?// Was she hallucinating..? Her thoughts were running amok but her body couldn't move a muscle.

He stood up straight and suddenly chuckled, scratching the back of his head. It was frightening, the way it made her whole body tingle. "At first I thought you were with…ah, nothing." He laughed again. Her face warmed up.

She still couldn't speak up, and sensed her companion fidgeting in the silence that followed. Should she greet him? Ask him why he was here? Or should she turn away? But _why_ would she turn away? Here he was, actually talking to her!

"That's a nice-looking sandwich…" he pointed out, trying to initiate conversation.

Immediately Shiori's mouth opened, saying: "Do you want one? I've got more here," and she began rummaging in her bag.

//What in God's name are you doing, Shiori Maki!// a tiny voice inside her screamed. //This is so not me, I know…// she answered lamely as her mouth continued babbling about sandwiches and how she made them.

Finally she found one, and she stopped talking to give it to him. "Hey, thanks! I haven't had lunch yet." For a brief moment his hand made contact with hers. Her eyes rounded in shock.

//You aren't hitting on me, aren't you…// she conceded as he plopped down beside her, jolting her a little. //Because if you are, then I should be the luckiest girl in the campus.// A small sigh escaped from her. //Which would never happen.//

"This is good," he declared between munches. Shiori knew it wasn't true, but it made her heart light. It made her face heat up incredibly. She was grateful he didn't ask stupid questions such as _How do you make it so red?_

"Imouto-san." His voice broke through her thoughts.

She almost jumped, and didn't want to answer, but did. "H-hai."

He cleared his throat. "Errr…uhhh…"

Again, an awkward silence fell upon them.

"H-hai?" She repeated. Maybe he didn't hear her acknowledge him.

"I…the other day…I mean…last…"

He clammed up. For some reason, she was reminded of herself. 

//That cannot be…// She finally gathered enough courage to peer at him, just from the corner of her eye.

The sight that greeted her wasn't the one she expected. He was trembling! And his face was all red! "Anou--" she found herself blurting out.

Her response made him jump. "Ah, YES! Hehehe…heh..." His laughter was strained and he was staring at the direction of the trees a few meters away. //What is wrong with him?// Finally he pulled a familiar-looking scrap of paper from his pocket. He simpered. "Oh, here it is. Found it in the notebook."

__

Homework, due next Friday

pages 47-50 : do it tomorrow

She was too stunned to say anything. It was now her turn to blush scarlet.

"And uh, thanks for returning the notebook." Kiyota was saying. He coughed. "And about the other day…"

"N-no, it's alright." A weak smile formed on her lips. //I think I'm gonna be sick...//

"Hontou? It's okay?"

She nodded, feeling like a puppet controlled with strings.

He looked relieved. "Well then…" He slowly rose from the bench.

//Is he going? Thank goodness…//

//No, no, stay!// Another part of her pleaded. Shiori was astonished at the unexpected reaction. She suddenly felt the urge to knock her head on the nearby tree, just to clear her head. Too many feelings were swimming inside.

" Er…hello? Imouto-san?" Kiyota was looking at her worriedly.

She looked up, eyes wide. "H-hai!".

"I was just asking…why don't you watch any of sempai's…I mean, our team's games?" He asked quietly. 

When she didn't answer, he hastily added, "You don't have to answer…errr…"

She was wrong. He asked a stupid question. Just now, he asked her a _very_ stupid question. "You mean basketball?" Of course, he was a basketball player. 

Brown eyes lowered, and she found her soft voice. "It's simple. I hate basketball."

Whatever her answer was, he probably didn't expect it. He blinked. There was silence once more.

//Please, please don't ask me that again.// She prayed, and even shut her eyes. When she opened them, Kiyota was calmly looking at the school building. He must've sensed her return, because he turned back to her.

"Well…that's an answer I guess!" He laughed. It was a nice, warm laugh… 

Kiyota followed her towards the school building. "Where's your next class?"

She gestured with her head. Shiori wasn't the best judge of expression, but she was pretty sure his face fell slightly. "Oh. Mine's the other way." He turned to the left corridor. "See you tomorrow then, imouto-san--by the way--!" He stopped and looked back at her. "You're good at making sandwiches. Can I have another one tomorrow?"

Shiori reached her next class, but her heart didn't slow down one bit.

***

Japanese terms:

__

Neesan - short for 'oneesan' which means older sister

__

Ohayou! - "Good morning!" Informal form.

__

Domo! - "Thanks!"

__

Hai - "Yes"

***

This chapter isn't as long as the others, and is full of Kiyota and Shiori's thoughts. Kinda boring but it's essential to the story. At least now you know why Shiori doesn't watch basketball. ^_^; Had a hard time finishing the third installment, so I settled for a kind of open ending. Tell me whatcha think. Fourth chapter…coming soon. ^^;

Again, many, many, and I mean MANY thanks for reading. Feedback is to writers as…uh, I don't remember.

And *gasp* I actually didn't put any disclaimers! Slam Dunk and its characters belong to Inoue Takehiko. Shiori Maki, Hikaru Kiyota, and Yukime Kiyota are mine.


	4. Chapter Four

****

Little Sister

Author: Shirodachi

E-mail: shirodachi@hotmail.com

---

Feedback: Very much appreciated, can range from constructive criticism to just plain "Nice!" ^^; Although I would like to know what parts you really liked. Flames, or any other kind of criticism are only taken into consideration if the flamer signs in/is not an anonymous reviewer.

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CHAPTER 4

//Time flies very fast.//

"Kiyota-kun," Shiori shyly began one fine afternoon, her fingers laced over her lap, "how was today's sandwich?"

"Ah, ah, perfect of course! As always!" The young man with longish hair beside her gave her a thumbs-up. Shiori's smile was like the sun coming up. 

She closed her eyes, indulging in the beautiful situation she found herself in. He coughed. She opened them.

To her shock she saw herself reflected in the dark pools of his _very serious _eyes. "But what's perfect of course, Shiori-chan, is sitting here, beside you…"

//Nani!? _Shiori-chan_!?// She gasped and almost staggered forward. //He NEVER calls me that!// Her eyes went wide as saucers and her face heated up like a furnace.

"As a matter of fact…" He inched towards her. "I don't think…" Another inch. "I've ever told you…" He leaned closer. "Since we met…" He was so close that she was afraid he could hear her heart thudding like horses gone wild. "That I…"

His mouth opened to formed those timeless words she longed to hear.

"DINNER'S READY!" Maki yelled at her from her open doorway.

"AAAAAH!" Shiori screamed, jumping from her seat. The dream vanished like a snuffed candle, and she returned to the real world, where she had fallen asleep while studying.

Maki blinked. Shiori stared at her brother, breathing heavily. After a few seconds he tiptoed into the room. "What'd you scream for?" he asked cautiously.

"You - you scared me," she replied, looking away to hide her coming blush.

Sidestepping the bed, the tall point guard stood beside his little sister and stared at her. "Are you all right? Did anything happen in school today? You look sick!" he said worriedly.

"NO!" she raised her voice, "I mean… no. I'm all right."

"Are you sure?" He moved closer to feel her forehead and check her temperature. "Maybe you're coming down with something. You're all red!" he observed. 

Shiori gasped and felt her cheeks. "Me? Red?" Immediately she stood up and ran to the bathroom connecting to her brother's room.

"Oi!" Maki called for her as she slammed the bathroom door. "Shiori! What's wrong?" He knocked frantically and tried to turn the doorknob. It was locked.

"What…how…I…" Shiori stammered. She examined her face at the mirror. Her brother was right, she was all red. "Oh no! He knows! Oniichan knows! How can I face him now? What if he tells this to--"

"Shiori?! Are you all right?" Maki continued to knock. "I don't know if I did or say anything wrong, but, I'm sorry, okay? Hey…"

She clasped her hands on her chest. "Yes…I'm all right. It's nothing." She watched as her face slowly returned to its normal color.

Maki felt relieved. "Good, why don't we go downstairs now and eat dinner."

"O-okay. You go ahead. I'll be right there."

He looked at the door and nodded. "Maybe it's just one of _those_ days." He scratched his head, shrugging.

***

Next morning Shiori got up from a dreamless sleep, thankfully, to find a note for her magnetized to the refrigerator. She shuddered. All her troubles seemed to be caused by notes lately.

__

Shiori, please do the groceries for me. I've got basketball practice. ~Shin'ichi

She read it again, just to make sure. Shiori was normally a docile girl, and usually obeyed orders coming from older people. Today, however, she felt instant refusal upon reading the note.

//Why do I have to do this?// she asked, although she herself thought it was a stupid question. The shop bell tinkled as she pushed the door open and entered the nearest family-run convenience store in their area.

"Thank you for shopping with us." A friendly voice came from the counter. A young woman in her late teens, an blue apron tied around her for purposes of style rather than function, neatly packed a customer's shopping into a bag. The customer, a thirty-something businessman, was obviously impressed by this show of warmth and tipped his hat as he left the store. The young woman waved back, smiling.

"Chisa-san," Shiori walked towards the counter.

The smile grew brighter. "Shiori-chan!"

Chisa's family owned the store which Shiori had known and shopped at for almost three years now. As it was close to her house, she had often stopped by and chatted with its owners. A certain kind of closeness developed between the pleasant Chisa and the shy Shiori. She had always admired Chisa for her confidence, and when she was younger, she confided some of her heartaches to the storekeeper.

Looking at the older girl, a wave of relief sort of flowed into her. The past days, turned into weeks, had been pretty hectic. And she didn't even know the exact reason. No…she _knew_, but just couldn't admit it. She needed an outlet.

The errand could wait.

"It's been a while, hasn't it? You never come here anymore, even just to talk with me."

"Oniichan…he's been taking care of stocking our pantry, but today he's out for basketball practice. And the other reason is school, you know…"

By going to Kainan University, a prestigious school, she had been swamped by enormous loads of schoolwork. Shiori, determined to get to the top without any help, didn't want to take any chances. This particular problem concerning basketball players seemed to be quite a side trip she didn't expect, however.

"Oh yes, Shin'ichi-san is our loyal customer. But you're always welcome here yourself. I heard the championship is coming. Did his team get in?"

"Uh…well…I think so." Shiori never bothered to ask her brother about the games. She didn't approve of it, anyway.

"Good for him."

Chisa opened the cash register and started to count the bills. Shiori watched intently, but her eyes were on Chisa's dark brown hair. Her once shoulder-length locks had been reduced to a bob. It made her look much more mature. _And the perfect person to talk to_. She coughed uncomfortably, trying to search for an opening line.

"Chisa-san? If it's not too much a bother…would you have lunch with me?"

The cash register closed with a soft chink.

"Ee? Lunch will be very nice, Shiori-san. We need to catch up on each other's news, ne?" She faced the younger girl, a teasing grin on her face. "Has a pretty girl like you gotten a boyfriend now?"

Shiori went scarlet. "Chisa-san! I--never--" She paled and reddened once more. Warm, chiming laughter came from the keeper of the store. Shiori looked down on the floor, mumbling to herself.

"And besides, you don't have one yourself, so how can I…get one before you?" she sulked.

It sent Chisa to chuckles again. "Don't be so defensive, dear, it shows. Now, kindly wait here while I tell Ojisan that I'm going out." She blew her a kiss before disappearing to the door behind her.

***

"Do you remember last springtime? We went to watch the sakura fall, and we had a small picnic with Ken-kun?"

The straw lazily made movements in Chisa's drink.

"Uh-huh…" Shiori glanced at her senior from the tops of her eyes.

"That was the last time we really saw each other, ne?" The straw continued to draw rippling circles.

"Chisa-san, school…"

"I know, I know Shiori." Her smile radiated, before her pink lips pursed on the straw to sip. "Do you know what happened after that?" She paused, but didn't wait for an answer. "Of course you don't know. Well, Ken-kun and I broke up."

Shiori dropped the fork she was using. "You…Chisa-san!" //Why? What happened?// Curiosity gnawed on her, yet she didn't try to speak, not wanting to relive any bad memories.

"It wasn't that bad…it was like I was almost expecting it." Her shoulders shrugged. "Anyway, I still see him in the motorcycle shop. He's got a new girlfriend now."

Shiori wasn't really close to Chisa's ex-boyfriend, and instead was worried for her friend. And the fact that she had dragged her off to lunch to talk about _her_ particular problem. Would Chisa be emotionally equipped to handle such matters? And would she even bother to listen to Shiori's trivial problems…of the heart? All of these questions raced through her mind as she pondered on a piece of steak.

Sensing the silence she brought, Chisa broke into a smile once more. Almost as if she had read the younger one's mind, she said, "Well now, that was in the past. We don't need to dwell on it, ne?" She stopped drawing and sipped her drink, finishing it. "I should stop talking about myself. The focus should be on _you_, Shiori. What was it you wanted to talk about?"

"I…um…"

"How is school?"

"It's fine…but…" When she was little, she used to wring the hem of her shirt when she was nervous, but her hand was too busy gripping the fork.

"Notice any cute boys around?"

"Huh?! Er…"

"One of them asked you out? Showed any interest in you?"

"No! I…" Shiori felt faint.

"You're not sure if he's really showing interest in you? If the interest in genuine?" Chisa tapped a knowing finger on her bottom lip. "Well, you could always ignore those kinds." She looked at Shiori and smiled at the girl's pale face. "But of course, why wouldn't anyone notice someone as pretty as you, ne? And what's more important is, what do you feel for him?"

"What? I'm not--"

"What about you? You must be honest with your feelings. They're the ones that can tell you, not me. What do you think of _him_, Shiori-chan?"

"I think he's--" She found herself blurting out, when she noticed the triumphant grin light up Chisa's face. Her mouth quickly shut tight, and her face drained white.

"Oh, so we _are_ talking about someone…"

***

"Chisa-san!" Shiori wailed plaintively.

She chuckled. Chisa knew how to deal with young people like Shiori - shy, someone who beat around the bush too much and would never admit things directly. Shiori had to be forced into a corner, and she had done just that. "Well now…" she leaned back on her seat to look at her, "who is this lucky guy we are talking about?"

The girl remained silent, sulking. Chisa sighed aloud.

"If you won't tell me the name, then you can just describe him to me. What were you saying before you stopped yourself?"

She shook her head.

"He's cute? He's dashing? He's your ultimate dream guy?"

"I think he's nice, that's all!" Shiori finally let out, a touch of anger sharpening her tone.

Chisa's eyebrows raised. She had almost forgotten about Shiori's hidden temper. Shiori heaved slightly, looking at her from downcast eyes. She decided to test her further. "And…? I'm sure that's not all..."

Shiori groaned.

//There's no point trying to evade the issue, dear. You were the one who wanted to talk to me.//

"He's just one of Oniichan's friends, who happens to be in the same class as mine." This was by far the longest sentence she had said.

"Um…that's why he calls me Imouto-san."

"Imouto-san?" Chisa echoed. //Men these days…// "That's respectful, but not very flattering. Tell him you have a name."

"I don't know…I'm not sure…" Shiori was beginning to mumble to herself again. Then she recounted the different events that had happened in the past.

"He _what_!? And you WHAT?"

Shiori nodded sadly. "And then, I did a stupid thing. He plays basketball…"

"I gathered as much. You told me he was one of Shin'ichi-san's friends."

She continued to nod her head although her eyes were cloudy in remembering. "I told him I hated basketball."

It was Chisa's turn to look sadly at the girl. She reached out and patted her hand. "I see."

"He asked…"

"Well, there's no point in lying to yourself, Shiori-chan. Don't fret on it." She tried to infect her with some cheer. Shiori didn't even return the smile. Chisa mused in the silence, recalling everything she had confessed. This guy, this basketball player, whoever he was, sounded very obnoxious to her. Shin'ichi Maki wasn't, but there was still this twinge of pride that almost every athlete had. She wondered if Shiori's _he_ would bring any good to her. Maybe she needed to step in and put a stop to it.

"Forgive me, Shiori-chan, if I ask this…but…_do you like him_? After all that he's done…" Chisa clucked her tongue.

Shiori looked up, paling again after being asked such a question. She seemed to lodge into silence again, when she swallowed and answered in her very soft voice,

"I don't know…I thought it would be impossible too, but…somehow, even though I don't talk to him that much, even though I clam up when I'm with him, I still feel sort of…happy." She shook her head. "I don't know, Chisa-san. Maybe it's because no one really talks to me, in class, except for him." Her lip trembled. "Since the first day of school."

Chisa's heart lurched into compassion for the shy, brown-haired girl. "Shiori-chan…" //Is that the reason? You were really lonely, weren't you, dear?//

"So I guess…I guess I could say…that I…I do like him."

A smile formed on the corners of the older girl's lips.

Shiori turned red. "Just for that." she added hurriedly.

"Well now, that wasn't too hard to admit, was it?" Chisa clapped her hands together, beaming at the depressed Shiori. //At least we have progress…!//

The younger Maki smiled weakly, and looked at her with woeful eyes. 

"But…what should I do, Chisa-san?" she asked, obvious distress in her voice.

//Yet we still have a long way to go…//

***

*cries* Where did the time go? Why have I been so bad, and so slow in updating? I don't know…maybe it's part of my nature. Oh well. No sense to cry over lost time. I do hope I still fit the bill. Thank you for continuing to read this.

And if you have time, read my other story, a Fukuda x OC *grin* called "My Fair Lady". 


	5. Chapter Five

****

Little Sister

Author: Shirodachi

E-mail: shirodachi@hotmail.com

CHAPTER 5

__

Scratch, scratch

Eraser suds scattered across the page, decorating the unfinished sketch. He pursed his lips, and a steady stream of wind blew them away. Using only two fingers, he turned the pencil over until the point was once again touching the surface of the paper. The rhythmic tapping of the teacher's chalk timed with his sketching. A line there, a curve here… He pictured his sketch firmly and clearly in his mind. The desire to see the finished product loomed over him.

Quickly he picked up the pencil again, after erasing a significantly large part of the upper part he was drawing, the hair, and resumed his work, this time with more zeal. His eyes flashed. His hand made swooping, fluid motions. Yet he remained calm, and concentrated on the one model he was copying. It was always like this - a slow, almost lazy start, then a rapid rush to the finish line. Very rare for him to start his sketches with a bang.

//And don't forget that tiny lock on his forehead…// He grinned.

"On whose forehead, Kiyota?" A nasal voice suddenly broke his thoughts. The teacher was just right behind him, breathing down his neck.

Kiyota jumped almost two feet in the air upon seeing him. "Ah…sensei!" He started to sweat nervously.

The teacher was already trembling in anger, his face almost purple. He was a dragon ready to breathe fire, and the conspicuous lock on his forehead was still as curly as ever. But Kiyota wasn't a good ball-handler for nothing - he skillfully moved the paper, and his newest caricature under a thick Algebra book.

The teacher circled behind his seat to stop in front of him. Kiyota placed his arms on the desk instantly.

"We're about to have a quiz. Why don't you have a sheet--" The teacher suspiciously eyed him, when he saw it.

"--AH, ANOTHER ONE!?" 

The class looked up at the teacher's high-pitched shriek. Kiyota swallowed.

//Uh-oh…//

"What is that paper!?" The teacher's finger trembled as he pointed at the exposed part of his notebook. "Another sketch? Another…another monstrosity!?" he demanded wildly.

Kiyota's laugh became high-pitched too, as he started piling more things out of his bag onto his desk to cover it. "Chigau yo, sensei! It's nothing, it's nothing!" He had gotten up from his seat, almost tripping over his feet.

"Give me that!"

"Ah, I tell you sensei, it's nothing!"

"Give me!"

"No!"

The two looked like they were dancing - Kiyota trying to hide his desk, while the teacher was trying to look over his shoulder. Everyone in the room stared at them, eyes wide with growing incredulity. Many of the male students were snickering; some were even laughing outright. 

The scene was actually commonplace in the classroom - more often than not, Kiyota Nobunaga failed NOT to irritate the teachers with his infamous caricatures, which some of these he even shared with his classmates.

"Kiyota Nobunaga! You sit down and give me that paper at once! If you don't I shall send you out and give you a zero for the quiz!"

The rookie was at a loss. If he complied and showed his sketch, he knew the teacher would do the exact same thing.

"Psst…Kiyota." One of his seatmates winked and reached out towards his desk while Kiyota was busy 'entertaining' the teacher. His seatmate had plucked the mischievous drawing and replaced it with a clean piece of paper.

Kiyota sighed. Good thing his classmates were always nice to him. He stopped moving around. "See, I told you sensei. It's nothing." He explained as he showed him the desk.

"Where is it? Where did you hide it!?" Kiyota winced as the teacher screamed once, threw his things out of the desk, and started flipping his Algebra book's pages.

The moment of judgment finished, the teacher clenched his fists, trying to control his temper. Kiyota stood there, almost shrinking at the intensity of the teacher's glare. 

"Nobunaga Kiyota! You're not getting away with this! I'm telling the Principal!" The teacher stalked off, letting the door slam. When it was quiet once more, the air filled with the class giggling with suppressed mirth.

"That's your best sketch yet, Kiyota-kun." His seatmate wiped a tear out of his eye. 

Kiyota flashed out a weak smile. "Thanks." He plopped down on his seat and began to gather his fallen things on the floor, stuffing them in his bookbag. "And thanks for the cover-up earlier. Where's the sketch?" He asked, holding out his hand.

"Oh, I passed it around. Everyone's got to see it."

Kiyota looked up in surprise, craning his neck to see where the sketch had spread. Following the trail of assorted grins, he tracked the sketch until he saw it clutched between a pair of small hands.

She didn't laugh out loud like the others, but if he wasn't sitting rows behind her, he would have seen her smile.

Shiori passed the sketch to her right like she was holding a hot potato. Her face had a disapproving countenance when she looked over her shoulder. Their eyes met.

//What'd ya think?// His eyes reflected.

She colored faintly and quickly turned her eyes back to the front.

***

"You were called into the office again? This is your second time for this term, am I right?" Jin asked Kiyota, a knowing look on his youthful face. It was the after-school hours, and time for club activities. They were walking across the school courtyard towards the school gym.

"It's sensei's fault, anyway! He's so boring anyone would want to draw instead of listening to his boring lectures!"

"I didn't think he was boring when I had him…"

The rookie waved a hand, saying, "That's because you're bor--" He caught Jin's stern look and laughed a bit nervously instead. "Uh, I meant that's because you have the same wavelength when it comes to Math, Jin-san. Poor little me doesn't have the same kind of ability like yours."

"I do?" asked Jin, pointing to himself.

Kiyota nodded enthusiastically. Jin let out a grateful, yet unbelieving smile, and the rookie sighed in relief.

People passed them by and waved, some only to Jin, some only to Kiyota, but most knew both of them. Jin was gracious enough to greet them back. The freshman, however, had quite a few things running through his mind, and didn't notice the group of girls that had just fluttered their eyelashes towards his way.

"Where's the drawing? Did the principal confiscate it?"

Kiyota's train of thought broke and he turned to Jin with a pleading look, groaning. "Don't remind me. He gave it to Sensei. Sensei threw it in the trashcan. How mean can he be?" He threw his arms up exasperatedly. "And it was one of my best yet!" He kicked the ground with one foot, sending clouds of dust into the air.

Jin patted his teammate's shoulder. "With the teacher that mad…" The three-pointer shook his head, sympathetic.

They walked a few more meters in silence, before Jin pulled on his shirt sleeve.

"Hey, Nobunaga…" Jin called.

Kiyota turned, making a face. "I'm telling you Jin-san, it was accurate. I just capture whatever he shows us on paper. It's not my fault if he likes to open his mouth really really wide and if his nose wrinkles whenever--"

"Nobu-chan!" A voice suddenly yelled out. A very familiar voice. Kiyota raised his head and looked around wildly.

"What the--?" asked Kiyota. 

"That's what." Jin answered, shrugging his shoulders helplessly.

"Over here!" The voice continued. Kiyota's head swung towards the direction. His jaw dropped.

"ONEESAN?" He burst out.

Hikaru and Yukime were standing before the Kainan gates. Hikaru motioned to Kiyota, waving her arm like a flag. Yukime, the maturer twin, leaned against a wall, looking bored as usual.

"Hey, who are those girls? They're not wearing our uniforms." Some guys nearby were murmuring to each other. 

"Yeah, but they look hot. Do you suppose we could…"

Kiyota glared at them, then he glared at his attention-grabbing sisters. He had no choice but to march towards and face them. Jin followed, trying to keep up with the freshman's furious pace.

"What are you two doing here!" Kiyota demanded, trying to sound older.

Yukime shot him a 'watch-your-mouth' look. "We just passed by on our way home, Nobunaga." Her icy voice replied. Kiyota flinched. She flipped her hair over one shoulder, looking around. "It's been a while since I've seen Kainan University." She shielded her eyes with a hand as she studied the tops of the buildings. He cleared his throat angrily.

"Well this can be your last. Now go home."

His breath suddenly got knocked out of his lungs. Staggering, he fell to the ground because of the weight Hikaru was adding by clinging onto him. 

"NOBU-CHAAAAN!" she wailed happily.

Kiyota let out a scream of shock and embarrassment. He kicked and punched out, struggling out of his sister's death embrace.

"Oww!!!" Hikaru's wail turned to one of pain. She disentangled herself from her brother. "Nobu-chan! How can you do this to me, your own sister!" Sitting on the ground, she looked helpless, a little girl lost. But to Kiyota she was only making a scene. Heads swerved to their direction, and fingers pointed. Kiyota covered his face as he stood up. 

"You'll be the death of me! Is there no shelter for battered sisters…?"

"Stop hugging me in public then! Or better yet, stop hugging me!"

"What's wrong with hugging your little brother?!"

"I'm not little! And you're only one year older than me!"

Jin cleared his throat. Yukime's eyebrows raised as she noticed the soft-spoken young man. 

"Nobunaga, that's not very nice." Jin reprimanded.

Kiyota glowered at Hikaru, who pouted back. "Che, she's just my sister." He looked away. 

Jin sighed like all the problems of the world had been given to him. He slung his bag over his shoulder and went down on one knee. Full of concern, the three-pointer asked the weeping Hikaru, "Are you alright, ojou-san?"

Hikaru stopped sniffing for a moment to look at her knight. Slack-jawed and wide-eyed, she breathed out, "Why yes, I'm perfectly fine, thank you."

Jin gave her the full effect of his earnest smile, showing dimples that could melt any young woman's heart. "That's nice to hear. Let's get up from there now, shall we? We don't want to make a scene."

"'We' already did." Yukime blandly informed them.

Hikaru didn't hear her twin, and instead took the three-pointer's hand in hers and let him pull her up. She didn't take her eyes off him. Kiyota rolled his eyes.

"Could you two just, you know, leave?" He shooed them rudely. Yukime's eyes narrowed. "We're about to go to the gym now, for practice." He crossed his arms and waited.

"I love strawberries too!" Hikaru gushed beside Jin.

Jin smiled, half-surprised. "Really, Kiyota-san? How did you ever know…"

"Oh, but I just noticed the very cute sticker on your bag…"

"You have fast eyes." Yukime murmured, her tone respectful.

Kiyota gave up all hopes of turning them away, now that Jin had been caught in the trap. He nudged his remaining sister. "Wasn't she allergic…"

"Shhh, don't disturb her Nobunaga, if you value your life."

"And it's Hikaru." The vivacious twin supplied, batting her eyelashes. She tucked a loose lock behind her ear and smiled. The three-pointer remarkably blushed. 

"Oh, um, I'm Soichiro Jin. I'm Nobunaga's--"

"Teammate, yes, I know that much. What, you're surprised? Well a cute guy like you…"

Kiyota gagged. "This is not happening." He pinched himself. "I am not being an audience to a sickening session such as this…"

Yukime pushed her gold-rimmed glasses up the bridge of her nose. She studied Hikaru and Jin, before turning her sharp eyes to her brother. "Really, Nobunaga, you should get used to this. What about your girlfriend then? Ah, I remember. We came here to see her."

The rookie froze in utter disbelief. Hikaru stopped mid-chat. Jin's eyebrows raised.

***

"AH-CHOO!"

Shiori sneezed as she fumbled for the code of her locker. 

"Bless you." A random voice floated from the other corner of the locker room.

"Thanks…" she muttered, embarrassed.

// Who could have remembered me? // She sniffed. Finally, she got the correct code. The lock opened with a small click. She gathered her books inside, arranging them neatly into her bag.

// I hope I'm not coming down with anything… //

***

"Oh yes, that was the whole point of this visit, Yuki? But then again I found…" Hikaru grinned mischievously at Jin's direction. Jin scratched his head.

"Kiyota-kun has a girlfriend?" he repeated, his eyes mirroring his wonder. He turned to the freshman whose jaw was left hanging. "Since when?"

Kiyota snapped out of his frozen state. "I DO NOT HAVE A GIRLFRIEND!" He raged.

"Calm down, Kiyota-kun…"

Hikaru cocked her head and scrutinized him. "Now, I do think you're right, isn't he, Yuki?"

Kiyota noticed the change of tone and dropped his temper a few notches. "What are you two up to?" He asked suspiciously. Yukime didn't say anything but arched an eyebrow.

Hikaru laughed. "Of course," she continued gaily, "no girl would fall for someone whose hair is _soooo_ messy like yours." She patted Kiyota's head to prove her point.

Kiyota lunged at her, but she ran behind Jin, giggling all the way.

"I have a comb." Jin offered helpfully.

"Argh! Jin-san, stop it! Stop siding with these two…witches!" He growled and tried to chase his sister around the confused three-pointer. Yukime sighed.

"Okay, okay, now stop that already. I'm tired of this. Can't you two keep this at home?" She marched from her place against the wall and planted herself between her siblings.

"She started it!" Kiyota cried out at the injustice of it all.

"Well, why can't you keep your hair like Jin-san has?" commented Hikaru, reaching out to pat the three-pointer's close-cropped hair. He bit his lip, abashed by her actions.

"That's beside the point! And stop being a flirt!"

"Stop acting so childish!"

"Um…help?" Jin asked hopefully. The two siblings were using him as a wall of defense, exchanging insults from both sides.

Yukime shrugged and went over to rap the side of Kiyota's head.

"Ow!" He rubbed the side and glared daggers at his sister.

"Now lead the way. We want to meet her." She curtly ordered, hands on her hips. Hikaru tried hard not to smile.

"I don't even know who you're talking about!"

"The one who put all those notes--" answered Hikaru, but Yukime shushed her.

Kiyota's eyes widened as realization hit him. "No way! SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" He howled.

Jin looked at Hikaru, who was still clutching his bag and hiding behind him, for confirmation. "You mean he really does have one?" He asked, all innocence.

---

Japanese terms:

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chigau yo! - you're wrong!

__

ojou-san - miss

---

Happy New Year, minna. My resolution is to finish all these fanfics I've been writing. Let's just hope I can do it. *crosses fingers* Please take your time to review, I appreciate all of them ('cept for anonymous flames, that is - I hate those). Just a simple 'Nice!' would do. Thanks for continuing to read. This chapter wasn't really what I expected. I think I got carried away with the dialogue. I'll make up for it at the next chapter…I hope.


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